Critical Thinking in Science and Technology

From as far back as the 1980s, many researchers have cited the importance of critical thinking in the citizens of modern societies. Given this importance, the merits of including critical thinking as a major objective at various levels of the education system and in different subject areas of the school curriculum have been extensively argued. This chapter focuses on science and technology curricula and rationalizes the need for changes both in the development as well as the implementation of the curriculum to facilitate the promotion of critical thinking skills in students. There is also an extensive discussion of particular instructional approaches and strategies needed to facilitate this.